The global cost of disasters is growing: The economic burden of disasters is intensifying. While the direct costs of disasters averaged $70–80 billion a year between 1970 and 2000, between 2001 and 2020 these annual costs grew significantly to $180–200 billion. But the real cost is far higher. Disaster costs …
The global agrifood system has been largely overlooked in the fight against climate change. Yet, greenhouse gas emissions from the agrifood system are so big that they alone could cause the world to miss the goal of keeping global average temperatures from rising above 1.5 centigrade compared to preindustrial levels. …
This document is the second in a series of global reports describing progress towards the 2030 targets set in Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030. It describes a wide range of activities, accomplishments and challenges across the portfolio of …
Global megatrends such as income inequality, climate change, demographic shifts, technological progress, and urbanisation are shaping the future of societies. Yet, their quantitative impacts on development are neither well understood nor established. This paper examines the individual and combined effects of these global forces on poverty, using both cross-section and …
The need to adapt to climate change is undisputed, as evidenced by the increasing commitments being made to adaptation. Despite the recognized need, there are significant challenges that make it very difficult to track, monitor, and evaluate adaptation. There is no “one size fits all” approach; instead, what adaptation looks …
Education can be the key to ending poverty in a livable planet, but governments must act now to protect it. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as cyclones, floods, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires. These extreme weather events are in turn disrupting schooling; precipitating …
This report summarizes the findings of a review aimed at understanding emerging approaches to energy subsidy reform, discerning trends, and identifying major strands of thinking and research in the field, as reflected in major policy and academic journals relevant to the subject. The review was initiated in early 2020 as …
Governments and firms around the world are racing to define their place in the clean energy economy, which is growing quickly as policy makers develop new industrial strategies that also bolster energy security and address climate change. This Energy Technology Perspectives Special Report is structured to provide decision makers with …
In the context of the recent agreement at COP28 in Dubai and the current state of play of urban power systems – from G7 countries to emerging markets and developing economies – this report analyses the steps needed to achieve net zero emissions from electricity, and considers the wider implications …
This document provides an updated list of “best buys” and other recommended interventions to address noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). It is based on Appendix 3 of the Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013–2020, which was first approved in 2013 and last updated in 2017. The …
CEOs need to accelerate their action plans to safeguard the production of commodities critical to the global population and economy as heat stress and drought risk rise around the world, according to PwC's report, Climate Risks to Nine Key Commodities: Protecting People and Prosperity, published. The report, which analysed nine …
This paper proposes an objective way of estimating and allocating “differentiated” responsibilities for carbon emissions across countries. These responsibilities translate into specific obligations and incentives for future emission reductions and support for adaptation, mitigation, and development. The proposals in this paper should be seen as a starting point for an …
Sluggish demand growth for liquefied natural gas (LNG), combined with a record increase in global export capacity through 2028, will likely thrust markets into an extended period of oversupply, according to the latest Global LNG Outlook from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). As major importing regions—including …
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published the 2024 Global Education Monitoring Report: Gender report – Technology on her terms in France in 2024. The report examines the impact of technology on girls' education opportunities and future technological development. It highlights ICT's potential to overcome educational barriers …
Food insecurity worsened around the world in 2023, with about 282 million people suffering from acute hunger due to conflicts, particularly in Gaza and Sudan, according to this report by the United Nations agencies and development groups. According to the latest Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), nearly 282 million …
This report provides an overview of WFP's progress in scaling up its Anticipatory Action (AA) operations, from covering 3.2 million people in 28 countries in 2022 to 4.1 million people in 36 countries in 2023. 2023 was the hottest year ever recorded. A natural El Niño cycle added to the …
This report documents human rights concerns during 2023 in 155 countries, connecting issues at global and regional levels and looking forward to the implications for the future. States and armed groups are breaking and bending the rules of war and racism lies at the heart of some armed conflicts and …
Asia remained the world’s most disaster-hit region from weather, climate and water-related hazards in 2023. Floods and storms caused the highest number of reported casualties and economic losses, whilst the impact of heatwaves became more severe. The State of the Climate in Asia 2023 report highlighted the accelerating rate of …
The Global EV Outlook is an annual publication that identifies and assesses recent developments in electric mobility across the globe. It is developed with the support of members of the Electric Vehicles Initiative (EVI). Combining analysis of historical data with projections – now extended to 2035 – the report examines …
A “staggering” number of workers, amounting to more than 70 per cent of the global workforce, are likely to be exposed to climate-change-related health hazards, and existing occupational safety and health (OSH) protections are struggling to keep up with the resulting risks, according to a new report by the International …
Protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) are important to stop the global decline in biodiversity. Systematic site-based monitoring of the state of biodiversity and conservation outcomes is necessary for evidence-based adaptive management in protected areas and OECMs. Biodiversity monitoring is also important to inform managers if they …
